Books for Independent Reading

VERY EASY

Blue Sea
by Robert Kalan
Greenwillow 1979 (24p); Mulberry 1992 paper
A big fish has trouble catching up with the smallest fish.
Big Fat Hen
by Keith Baker
(Math)
Harcourt 1994 (32p)
Huge hens and their baby chicks caper through a classic counting rhyme.
When the Elephant Walks
by Keiko Kasza
Putnam 1990 (32p)
An elephant who scares other animals is frightened by a mouse.
Is It Larger? Is It Smaller?
by Tana Hoban
Greenwillow 1985 (32p)
Color photos provide opportunities for comparison among large and small items.

EASY

Come Back, Puppies
by Jan Ormerod
Lothrop 1992 (32p)
A mother dog looks for her ten puppies.
Large as Life
by Julia Finzel
Lothrop 1991 (32p)
A ladybug flits from small animals to bigger and bigger ones.
Big Dog… Little Dog/Perro grande… Perro pequeño
by P.D. Eastman
Random 1973 (32p) paper
Two dogs who are opposite in every way are also good friends. Text in English and Spanish.
Fireman Small
by Wong Herbert Yee
Houghton 1994 (32p)
Fireman Small rescues cats, rabbits, and other members of his community.
Clifford, the Big Red Dog
by Norman Bridwell
Scholastic 1988 (32p); also paper
Emily Elizabeth describes her dog Clifford, who is bigger than a house. Available in Spanish asEl gran perro colorado.

AVERAGE

Teeny Tiny
by Jill Bennett
Putnam 1986 (32p)
In this folktale, a teeny tiny bone causes trouble for an old woman.
The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear
by Don and Audrey Wood
Child's Play 1984 (28p); also paper
A mouse tries to hide a ripe strawberry from a hungry bear.
Jamal's Busy Day
by Wade Hudson
(Multicultural)
Just Us 1991 (32p)
Just as his parents have a busy day at work, Jamal has a busy day at school.
Titch
by Pat Hutchins
Macmillan 1971 (32p); Aladdin 1993 paper
Titch, the smallest in his family, grows a huge plant.
Little Mouse's Big Valentine
by Thacher Hurd
Harper 1990 (32p); also paper
Little Mouse sets out to find someone with whom to share his enormous valentine.
My Little Red Car
by Chris L. Demarest
Boyds Mills 1992 (32p)
A little boy travels around the world with his imagination and a toy car.
A Beautiful Feast for a Big King Cat
by John Archambault and Bill Martin, Jr.
Harper 1994 (32p)
A mischievous mouse learns that teasing a cat can be dangerous.
Please Don't Feed the Bears
by Allan Fowler
(Science/Health) Childrens 1991 (32p)
Children learn simple facts about bears.
Big Talk
by Miriam Schlein
Bradbury 1990 (32p)
A little kangaroo tells his mother about all the wonderful things he can do.
Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs
by Byron Barton
(Science/Health)
Harper 1989 (32p); also paper
This book is a colorful introduction to the physical differences among dinosaurs.
The Big Sneeze
by Ruth Brown
Lothrop 1985 (26p)
A small fly causes a big sneeze when it lands on a farmer's nose.
When I Am Old with You
by Angela Johnson
(Multicultural)
Orchard 1990 (32p); also paper
A young boy imagines being old with his grandaddy.

CHALLENGING

Little Penguin's Tale
by Audrey Wood
Harcourt 1989 (32p)
A small penguin sets out to search for some fun in his snowy polar world.
Super, Super, Superwords
by Bruce Macmillan
Lothrop 1989 (32p)
Photographs depict children acting out words about degrees of comparison.
Natan y Nicolás Alejandro (Nathan and Nicholas Alexander)
by Lulu Delacre
Editorial Norma 1990 (32p)
Nathan, an elephant, and Nicholas Alexander, a mouse, become friends. Text in Spanish.
Mice Twice
by Joseph Low
Macmillan 1980 (32p); Aladdin 1986 paper
Cat invites Mouse to dinner, but Mouse brings a dog for protection.
Eating Fractions
by Bruce Macmillan
(Multicultural)
Scholastic 1991 (32p); also paper
Two youngsters demonstrate easy fractions by dividing foods like pizza into parts.
The Little Band
by James Sage
(Multicultural)
Macmillan 1991 (32p)
When a band of children march through town, their music leaves everyone happier.
Just a Little Bit
by Ann Tompert
Houghton 1993 (32p)
Elephant and Mouse get on a seesaw but need help moving it up and down.
Seven Blind Mice
by Ed Young
(Multicultural)
Philomel 1992 (32p)
Seven blind mice discover that a “strange something” is actually an elephant.
Tammy and the Gigantic Fish
by Catherine and James Gray
Harper 1983 (32p); also paper
On a fishing trip with her father and grandfather, Tammy lands an enormous fish.
Biggest, Strongest, Fastest
by Steve Jenkins
(Science/Health)
Ticknor 1995 (32p)
Record holders of the animal world include the blue whale, the giraffe, and the bee hummingbird.
The Secret in the Matchbox
by Val Willis
Farrar 1990 (32p) paper
A dragon in a matchbox grows to gigantic proportions when it's set loose in a classroom. Available in Spanish as El secreto en la caja de fósforos.

Books for Teachers to Read Aloud

The Tiny, Tiny Boy and the Big, Big Cow
by Nancy Van Laan
Knopf 1993 (32p)
In this cumulative story, a tiny boy tries to milk a big cow that will not stand still.
Mouse Tales
by Arnold Lobel
Harper 1972; also paper
At bedtime, Papa Mouse tells his children seven stories, one for each of them. Available in Spanish as Historia de ratones.
The Biggest House in the World
by Leo Lionni
Pantheon 1968 (32p); Knopf 1987 paper
A snail decides to keep his own small house after hearing about a big house that spelled disaster for another snail.
The Elephant's Wrestling Match
by Judy Sierra
(Multicultural)
Lodestar 1992 (32p)
A tiny but clever bat defeats a mighty elephant in a wrestling match.

Books for Shared Reading

One Little Chickadee
by Marilee Robin Burton
(Math)
Tambourine 1994 (32p)
Little chickadee and his animal friends play together before bed.
Me Too!
by Mercer Mayer
Western 1985 (24p) paper
A boy's little sister clamors to do everything he does.
Three Little Kittens
by Paul Galdone
Clarion 1986 (32p); also paper
In this favorite nursery rhyme, three kittens lose their mittens.
The Big Fat Worm
by Nancy Van Laan
Knopf 1994 (32p) paper
In this circular story, a big fat bird tries to eat a big fat worm.